Machines



(No Model. '2 Sheets-Sheeti 1.

J. K. HARRIS.

BUTTON HOLE ATTAGHMENTFOR SEWING MACHINES. No. 318,470. Patented May 26,1885 IN'VENTOR ATTORNEYS.

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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

I J. K. HARRIS.

BUTTON HOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES. No. 318,470. Patented May26, 1885.

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J OHN K. HARRIS, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE HARRIS BUT- TONHOLE ATTACHMENT COMPANY, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

BUTTON-HOLE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION 20:11 ing part of Letters Patent No. 318,470, dated May26,1885.

Application filed September 17, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Jonn K. Hnnnrs, of Springfield, in the county ofClark and State of Ohio, have invent-ed a new and Improved Button HoleAttachment for Sewing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

My invention relates to certain improvements upon the button-holeattachment for sewing-machines patented by me September 6, 1881, No.246,764, and also March 28, 1882, No. 255,622; also to a new device forthrowing the clutch-lever back for a new bite on the feed-bar by apositi 'e movement, instead of I 5 the use of springs, as heretoforeused. In the devices shown and described in said Letters Patent anoscillating movement on a central pivot is given to the cloth-clamp by alever operated by the needle-bar of the sewing-ma 2o chine. Thisoscillation was utilized and made to perform a double purposeviz.,producing the necessary movement for the lateral stitch and also toproduce a right-line longitudinal feed movement in either direction bythesimple means of a cl utch-lever engaging the clamp or its feedbar ator near the center of oscillation and the outer end impinging against astationary stop or resistance. These devices have been very effective intheir operation,

working equally well in either direction; but as the central pivot orfulcrum on which the clamp oscillates had to beslightly moved from oneside of a center longitudinal line to the other when working the ends ofthe button- 5 hole, and. the direction of the feed reversed when passingthe longitudinal line, although this movement, as fully described insaid Let ters Patent, was effectively accomplished by simply turning ahand-lever from one stop to another, it is desirable to have thismovement produced automatically, and to accomplish this result and toavoid the use of a clutchspring by the substitution of a positive levermovement is the object of my present invention. As will be seen, I haveaccomplished this automatic result by a ratchet mechanism operated bythe needle-bar lever and arranged to work only when rounding the ends ofthe button-hole. I have also produced the same result by utilizing forthis purpose the oscillating movement of the clothclamp feedbar, ashereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the entire buttonhole attachment embodying myimprovement. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is atransverse section on the line 00 0., Fig. 2. Figs. at and 5 are planviews of the slidcplates. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the oscillating platewhich carries thefeed-bar. Fig.

7 is a detail view of part of the ratchet mechanism, and Fig. 8 isa planviewof the ratchetwheel. Fig. 9 is a diagram hereinafter explained. Fig.10 represents a button-hole in part. Fig. 11 is a detached perspectiveView of certain parts to indicate their operative relation to eachother; and Fig. 12 is an under side view of the forked reciprocatingplate and the oscillator by which it is operated, showing the connectionof these two parts.

A is the baseplate, and A is a plate to which the plate A is attached,the said plate A being adapted to take the place of the shuttleraceslide in ordinary sewing-machines.

B is the main operating-lever, hung on posts or flanges a at one end ofbase-plate A, and extending longitudinally with said plate for Soconnect-ion withthe needle-bar of the sewingmachine.

11 isa forked reciprocating plate having upward inclines c c, andattached to the bedplate by means of screws passing through slots, 8 5so that it is free to be reciprocated laterally on the bed-plate by theoscillator to, with which it is connected. (See Fig. 12.)

(Z is a round bar, to one end of which is attached the cloth-clampconsisting of the lower plate, f, which is rigid with the bar d and theupper adjustable plate, 9, which is clamped on plate f by means of aneccentric. The other end of the bar (1 passes freely through the ears 1)p of the oscillating plate m, Fig. 6, through clutch-lever D, andthrough a post, a, on the reciprocating plate I). The post 6 is allowedto turn slightly in its connection to the plate 12, so as to conform tothe lateral movement of rod (1, and has a screw in its upper end forforcing a plug of leather or rawhide upon the rod to cause a slightfriction.

h is a slide-plate attached to the bed-plate by means of screws hpassing through slots in the plate, so that the latter is capable of aslight moveme'nt transversely of the bed-plate.

tis a second slide-plate fitted in a transverse groove of the plate A,beneath plate h.

his a ratchet-wheel, formed upon its under side with two eccentrics, ZZ, reversely placed and attached upon the bed-plate by a pivotscrew, sothat the eccentrics lie within slots 1?, formed in plates h z. The plateh is recessed at one side, (see Fig. 4,) and receives within said recessthe center oscillating plate, m, Fig. 6, which is thus allowed to lieupon the lower plate 5, to which it is attached by a pivot-pin or screw,m.

Afnlcrum-pin,7c,extending upward from the plate 'i, extends throughaslot, 0, formed transversely of plate m, into a hole, at, in plate 12.Upon plate m, and turning on fulcrum-pin 7c, is the clutch-adjustingplate a, which engages by a hole, at", at one end with a pin, 0,projecting upward from plate m. D is the clutchlever, formed tubular atone end for the passage of feed-bar (Z, and having itsouter end providedwith a pin or screw, 1', which serves as a fulcrum for said lever,engaging the irregnlar slot 1'' in the end of slide-plate h.

A pin or projection, q, upon the clutch-adjusting plate it engages theclutch-lever D by means of a slot formedin the under side of therecessed or tubular end of said lever. The object of this plate a is toutilize the reverse oscillation, from the one that feeds the bar d, toset the clutch-lever D back to the center of oscillation for a new biteon bar d by a positive lever movement, instead of by the springsheretofore used. When the bar d is oscillated, it causes the plate m toswing upon its fulcrum m, and by the connection of plate at to plate aby pin 0 the plate a is oscillated upon its fulcrum h, and the pin q,engaging cl'utch'lever D, throws it back on rod (1 the instant the biteis released by the reverse direction of oscillation. This 7adjustingplate 9b, as asubstitute for springs,

performs its functions equally well in either direction of the feedmovement, but in order to prevent binding care should be taken inlocating its fulcrum h. Fig. 9 illustrates the position of the fulcrumwith reference to the two movements, the shorter crossed lines in saidfigure indicating the movements of the plate a, and the longer outerlines the movements of the clutch-lever D.

The ratchet-wheel h is engaged by a pawl, s, that is hung upon a lug, t,projecting into a T-slot, t, in the pawl from the pendent portion of theoperating-lever B, and its inner end is maintained in continuousengagement with the ratchet-wheel by a spring, s, acting against a fixedguide on the bed-plate.

Upon feed-bar d is attached a block, u, on which is pivoted an arm, a,that is" bent to extend beneath the pawl 8.

Upon the bed-plate A is a fixed projection, 11, and also a projection,b, which is part of an adjustable piece, at. These two projectionsrepresent the extremes of feed movement, the piece at being adjust-ableaccording to the length of the button-holes, and in the move ment of thefeed-bar forward or back, when the projection a or b is reached thearm uis raised, and with it the outer end of the pawl s, so that the lug tcomes within the shorter portion of the slot 11 in the pawl, and thepawl is thus given a reciprocating movement by the lever B. Thismovement occuring when the end of the button-hole is reached, theratchet-wheel his moved the required nu inher of teeth in order toeffect the shipping over of plated and parts it carries, and the pawlcontinues to act until the arm to, clearing the projection a or b, thepawl drops and the movement ceases.

At the time when the ratchet-wheel moves Thefulcrum-pin h of the platenis attached to the ship over slide t, and passes loosely through theslot 0 of the oscillating plate m, thus leaving the latter plate free toswing on its fulcrum' pin m as it is operated by the oscillatingfeed-bar d. The feed-bar d passes freely through the recessed or tubularend of the clntchdever D when the latter lever and feed-bar are at rightangles to each other; but the c'entersof the offset portions of theirregular slot 1" in the plate h, into which slot the fulcrum-pin r ofthe said clutch-lever extends, are so placed as to be slightly to oneside or the other of the centers of the pins m and h, attached to theplate 11. Thus the clutch-lever will be normally slightly displaced froma right-angular position relative to the oscillating feed-bar d, and asthe latter bar swings in one direction the clutch-lever will bite orbind upon it as it swings with it. The fulcrum-pin r of the clutch leverwill at this moment be braced against the outer or end wall of thatportion of the irregular slot 1' in which said pin happens to be, andwill thus cause the clutch-lever to move the feed-bar and its clothclampalong for a short distance. As the feedbar is reversed in itsoscillating movement, carrying with it the oscillating plate m, the biteof the clutch-1ever on the said feed-bar is released, and the pin 0 onthe free end of the said plate at engaging the clutch-reversing plate awill swing the latter plate on its ful-. crum-pin 7c in a directionopposite to the movement of the oscillating plate m, and the pin q inthe plate a engaging the free The plate 1' in its ship-over or clutchingend of the clutch-lever will re verse the latter as its hold on thefeedbar is released, moving it back for a new grip. Thus the operationwill continue, the feedbar being moved in one direction to work one sideof the button hole, while the fulcrum-pin r of the clutch-lever is inone off set portion of the irregular slot 2" of the slide-plate 72,-but. when the ratchet-wheel it .receives a half-revolution (by means ofthe automatic mechanism hereinbefore described) when the end of thebutton-hole is reached, to shift the ship-over plate 2, and thus bringthe other side of the button-hole beneath the needle of thesewing-machine, the plate h will be shifted in a direction opposite tothat of the movement of the plate 02. This sliding movement of the plateIt will gradually bring the fulcrum-pin r of the clutch-leverinto theother offset portion of the slot r, thereby reversing the angulardisplacement and biting operation of said clutch-lever, causing it toreverse the movement of the feed-bar to work the other side of thebutton-hole.

As the ship-over movement and the transfer of the fulcrum-pin r of theclutch-lever to a new part of the irregular slot 1- occur slowly,occupyingthetime consumed in sewing several stitches, the ends of thebutton-holes will be strongly barred by a series of overlappingstitches, as indicated in Fig. 10. Thus it will be apparent that all ofthe movements of the cloth-clamp required to form complete button-holes,both ends of which will be strongly barred, will be effectedautomatically.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a button-hole attachment for sewingmachines, the combination,witha cloth-clamp and an oscillating andlongitudinallymovable feed-bar,of aship-over slide to which said bar is connected, a ratchet-wheel andeccentric for operating said ship-over slide,and mechanism for partiallyrotating said ratchet-wheel at intervals, substantially as set forth.

2. In a button-hole attachment for sewing machines, the combination,witha cloth-clamp and a feed-bar therefor,of clutch-lever for moving saidfeed-bar longitudinally, a slide-plate having an irregular or offsetslot for the fulcrum-pin of said lever, aship-over slide to which saidfeed-bar is connected, a ratchet-wheel, two reversely-placed eccentrics,an operating-lever, and apawl loosely connected with the latler forpartially rotating said ratchet-wheel and eccentrics at intervals,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the ratchet-wheel 7t, eccentrics Z Z, slide'platesh i, elutch-lever D, earplate m, and feed-bar d, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination, with the cloth-clamp and the oscillating feed-bar,of the ship-over slide 5, the oscillating ear-plate m attached thereto,the slide-plate it, having the slotr, and the clutch-lever D, havingfulcrum-pin r, engaging said slot, substantially as set forth.

5. In a button-hole attachment for sewingmachines, the combination,witha clothclamp and an oscillating and lougitudinally-niovable feed-bar, ofa ship-over slide for moving said feed-bar laterally, and devices forautomatically shifting said bar when an end of a buttonhole is reached,substantially as set forth.

6. In a button-hole attachment for sewingmachines, the combination,witha cloth-clamp and a feed-bar, ot a clutch-lever for moving said barlengthwise, a pivoted adjusting or reversing plate having a connectionwith said clutch-lever, and positively-operating mechanism forretracting said plate in reversing said lever, substantially as setforth.

7. In a button-hole attachment for sewingmachines, the combination,witha cloth-clamp and a feed-bar therefor, of a clutch-lever for feedingsaid bar longitudinally, a pivoted reversing-plate having a pin engagingsaid clutch lever, and a pivoted oscillating plate having a pin forvibrating said reversingplate, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination,with the bed-plate having the fixed and movable stopsor projections a and Z), the operating-lever B, and the pawl 8, having aT-slot at its rear end, of the ratchetwheel [6, and the feed-bar (I,having the pivoted arm a, for throwing the said pawl into operation atintervals, substantially as set forth.

9. The projections to b, the pawl s, havinga T-slot, and the arm a onthe feed-bar, combined to bring the pawl into operation at the extremesof feed movement, substantially as described.

JOHN K. HARRIS.

\Vitnesses:

EDW'ARD M. CLARK, EDGAR Tit'rn.

